Yesterday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the Phillies are interested in free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim. Salisbury noted that the Phillies are targeting Kim as insurance for the shortstop position if Trea Turner’s defense does not meet Dave Dombrowski’s challenge to improve that the Phillies president issued at the start of the offseason.
Kim, who has played shortstop, second base, and third base in his career, signed a one year, $20M deal with the Braves last offseason
but played in just 51 games due to a torn tendon in his finger suffered after he slipped on ice in South Korea before the season. When he did return to action, Kim had the worst season of his six-year career and was one of if not the worst hitter in MLB, as his .116 AVG and .356 OPS both ranked 416th out of 416 hitters with at least Kim’s 147 plate appearances as a qualifier. His usual reliable defense that earned him the Gold Glove for utility players in 2023 also took a step back. albeit in the obvious small sample size of 47 games.
Despite this, there is some logic behind the Phillies supposed interest. As Salisbury states in the article, the Phillies do indeed require some sort of back-up plan for shortstop if they choose to move Turner off of the position at some point mid-season in 2027. Even if Turner suddenly rebounds defensively, the Phillies currently do not have a third baseman or a utility infielder under contract, as both Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa are free agents. Kim could serve as an insurance plan for both of those positions as well in the event the Phillies do not retain either. Prospect Aidan Miller is widely expected to play third base for the Phillies at some point in the near future, but the Phillies still need someone to occupy the spot in the meantime even if it’s only for half of a season.
Kim has shown in the past that he can be a very valuable player, as he averaged 3.8 WAR per season during his first four seasons in MLB with the San Diego Padres while serving in a super utility role. For perspective, Bryce Harper led all Phillies position players with 3.1 WAR in 2026. However, Kim hasn’t been that player since 2024, as his 2025 was also disappointing, as he played in just 48 games thanks to shoulder surgery he underwent near the end of the 2024 season.
If the Phillies were to sign Kim, they would be betting that the now 31-year-old can regain his form from before his injuries. At the very least, they would be betting that Kim can be a serviceable utility player in the likely event that Sosa leaves for a bigger role elsewhere. So, do you think the Phillies should sign Ha-Seong Kim? What type of contract would you offer him if so? What role do you envision him in?
